Typical tape data storage and retrieval methods involve recording or writing data in tracks running length-wise down the tape, as well as retrieving or reading such data tracks from the tape. A multiple stripe magnetic head is used to write and/or read many parallel tracks, with the ability to jog along the width of a magnetic tape to write and/or read more tracks. Optical tape data storage and retrieval systems using laser heads operate in a similar fashion.
Magnetic and optical tape media are frequently used for long-term storage of large quantities of data, such as in data backup or archive operations. However, the multiple stripe head designs mentioned above become inefficient as tape length is increased for greater capacity, such as in archive operations, because of the increased time it takes to access the data stored at the end of the tape. While shorter tapes result in quicker access time than longer tapes, shorter tape lengths also result in more limited storage capacity, thereby hindering archive operations where large data quantities are involved. A wide tape to boost capacity requires many more transducers in the head. Data throughput is also a factor of tape width and the number of heads. Limits to multiple stripe head designs include the number of read and write heads and overall tape width.
As noted, magnetic or optical heads write data in longitudinal tracks or series of spots running lengthwise down the tape media surface. Searching down the tape or “seeking” data is accomplished using indexing information which facilitates high-speed motion down the tape to get to data that has been listed in an index or meta-data section on the recorded media. Existing recording methods have inherent inefficiencies in how the seeking is done. Data can be accessed only by positioning the tape to a required section at high speed and then slowing the tape down for reading, which causes multiple seconds of delay.
Thus, there exists a need for an improved tape media data storage system and method. Such a system and method would include a rotary head design that would put more tape surface area in contact with the heads. A vast improvement in seek time, and improved seek time vs. data capacity would be achieved by using a rotating head which writes primary data in tracks running transverse to the length of a tape and simultaneously writes secondary tracks running longitudinally down the length of the tape for search indexing information, for example “data tags”.
Using a tape having a greater width in proportion to tape length would enable a large amount of data to be stored in tracks across the tape while allowing additional search information to be written in one or more stripes lengthwise along one or both edges of the media. Such a system and method would also advantageously use the wide tape to provide an indexing scheme written longitudinally down the tape, which could be used for high-speed seek and/or search while skipping past the actual primary data tracks.